All is Calm, All is Bright

As much as I dis on winter weather, I cannot deny the beauty of it on occasion.

After all, bright sunshine reflecting on white snow makes for a pretty tranquil setting. We didn't get any new snow this week, but the morning fog made for plenty of frosty mornings none the less. 'Tis the season, right?   

Before I shine a light on all the details, welcome to the Weekly Run Down!

 I love hosting this link-up with Deborah (from Confessions of a Mother Runner)! If you write a fitness-based blog, you're invited to join the party. The link-up opens at 1:00 (EST) on Sundays and remains open through noon on Monday. We love reading about everyone's weekly fitness endeavors, training highlights (or low lights) and race recaps. We ask that you link back to both hosts, and we encourage you to read/comment on the other linked blogs as well...please don't link-drop & dash ;-)

So, here's what went down this week:

Never miss a Monday.

The past few weeks, I have been starting my Mondays on the indoor bike, so why mess with a good thing? Only this week, the hubby joined me downstairs and spent some time on the elliptical. I cycled out a 10K before work and took a 1-mile walk at lunch. After work, I decided to head downtown for my 2-mile run. Although I'd missed the tail end of daylight, the town square was all aglow. Not a bad problem.

Trick-Play Tuesday.

In my ongoing attempt to mix things up, and keep my body guessing, I got the idea to do a brick (of sorts) workout. I did two sweaty miles on the elliptical for a warm-up, ran a quick mile through the hilly 'hood, and then did two more (even sweatier) elliptical miles afterwards. Holy sweat, Batman! Apparently, the first elliptical session was a sufficient warm-up, because the outdoor mile didn't feel the slightest bit cold (in the sub-freezing temps). And the final two elliptical miles had the sweat flying off my arms and dripping off my chin. I know, #yuck, but I walked away with a serious dose of energy-infused endorphins.  

It's a Wonderful Wednesday.

I've also spent the past few Wednesdays doing a #10at5 on the bike (10 miles at 5 a.m.), so that happened again this week. Over lunch, the bright sun beckoned me outdoors for a 2-mile run (instead of waiting until after work). Momma N played nice and kept the wind away, so this was my kind of a winter day.

A Switch-Play Thursday.

I had a stairway workout all planned out for Thursday morning, but my lower back was feeling a bit cranky. A spur-of-the moment decision had me doing a short core workout, then some non-impact time on the elliptical instead. Things felt much better afterwards. Just a quick 1-miler over lunch, with a mandatory selfie moment courtesy of the random mirror in the alley (wouldn't you do the same?).

Fitness Fun with Friends Friday.

It's no secret how much I love my fitness friends. Many of them have run (and walked) countless virtual miles with me, and now I can say one of them has cycled with me as well. Kim (KookyRunner) and I arranged for a morning ride (she did a class while I rode my first-ever indoor half marathon). Afterwards, I walked for a mile with Milly (#jellylegs), and did a 2-mile streak run after work. Stay tuned, there may be a virtual "group" ride in the works.

Long Run Saturday.

It's been 8-1/2 weeks since I've returned to running. I started with 1/2-mile runs (on October 20th) and have been gradually increasing the mileage (of my Saturday "long runs") in 1/2-mile increments. Everything has been feeling good, and most of my streak runs have been only 1-2 miles, so I felt ready to jump from last week's 4-mile distance to five miles. I walked a half mile for a brief warm-up (and did some dynamic stretches) then ran to meet Barb. We had not been to the lake in a l.o.n.g time, so it worked out perfectly to run that route. It's two miles there, the lake itself has a 1-mile trail around it, then we ran the two miles back. The frozen snow, on the lake's trail, was rough (as was the frigid NW wind on the return trip). I walked an extra half mile after we parted ways, and returned home feeling tired but quite satisfied.

Sunday Sunny Sunday.

I don't have many sunrise runs this time of year (thanks to my work schedule), but on the weekends I can sometimes make them happen. Even with the cold temps, the bright sky was pretty amazing. That was my "coffee," and the 4-mile elliptical workout (when I got back home) was my "breakfast." Feeling good, feeling fine.  

So, the week played out alright. It's not very often I take a pass on strength work, but oh well. I have been doing daily push-ups (since April), and this week I added alternating side planks in between each one (20 total/day). The jury's still out on how long that will last, but for now it's a new twist (literally) to an old thing. The running saw a record 14 post-stress fracture miles this week. Now that I've reached the 5-mile distance, I'm planning to maintain that for awhile (for my Saturday runs), but will be increasing the length of the mid-week runs after the run streak ends (January 1st). Walking took a hit, this week, with only seven miles (more on tap for Sunday afternoon). Biking had almost 30 miles, and the elliptical had 12 miles of sweat equity. Yadda Yadda Yadda.

In case you missed out, here's what all went down on the blog this week:

Rewired by Necessity

Turtle Gloves and Toasty Hands

In other news

Friday Fashion Flair!  How do you feel about mixing and (somewhat) matching patterns with similar colors? Not everyone is game for that look, but I think some fashion "rules" are meant to be challenged. As always, you're welcome to join me on Fridays...post a pic on Instagram, grab the hashtag (#FridayFashionFlair) and be sure to tag me (@runningonthefly).

Confession, I actually look forward to the Winter Solstice every year. For me, it signifies a huge victory over the darkness of the winter season and gives promise of brighter days ahead. Granted, the increasing daylight won't be obvious for another month or so, but we'll be moving in the right direction.

Do you have a ROAD iD? Or need another one? Maybe you have friends or family who could use one? I have a giveaway in the works with ROADiD  for a $35 gift card! Head to my Instagram page and enter, but it ends at noon CST tomorrow (Monday, December 21) so don't delay!

Finally, although I respect my family's privacy (and don't showcase them very often on the blog), here's a preview of our holiday card. It's been a crazy year, but it's also been one filled with good times and awesome memories. I feel blessed beyond measure, and wish all of you a joyful, healthy and safe holiday season. 

So, that's another week all wrapped up (and tied with a holiday bow).

How are things in your world? Are you staying active in the cold weather? Inside or outside? Are you excited for the Solstice?

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